So there was a surprise waiting for me at office today.
Suddenly, around noon, everyone started to act a bit odd – seemingly coordinating something on the hush…and before I knew it, I was on a Google Meet with our staff in India, Abu Dhabi and of course, the ones physically present in Dubai.
They then played a little video – every member of the team had something to say about me and wished me in their own little way. One of them had his kids in the video too, sweetly jumping into the frame to say happy birthday uncle:)
Once done, I was presented with a gift that was a surprise in itself – I must say the contents were quite unexpected. I wouldn’t like to share it with you all since it was only for me, but I can say that everyone chipped in to buy it, and the idea in itself was very thoughtful.
Cake cutting followed – a delicious cake from an eclectic store that apparently only opens from 10 pm to 1 pm everyday – hmmm…a must try if I can muster the courage to remain awake at such an unearthly hour.
Overall, a delightful experience.
When I set up 10 Leaves, I didn’t set out to conquer the world, or to make the biggest company that I could think of, or even be a market leader in my field. I set it up because I wanted to do things my way, to bring something different to clients and to the market, and to enjoy myself and challenge myself to keep up the interest for an extended period of time. Most importantly, I didn’t want to lose myself in the business world and lose track of what matters most – my family.
I have been lucky to get all of these done and more, and on my own terms. But even more so, I have been lucky to build a great team who is also able to get stuff done on flexible terms, while being able to spend quality time with their loved ones. Together, we are creating something that is meaningful to us, something that we look forward to working on everyday and together.
The good things that they said about me today are not a patch on what I have to say about them. My team is the business – without them we wouldn’t be here – and the same goes for any company. The team builds, the team sticks together to solve daily issues, and the team collaborates to deliver.
But we don’t have just any other team. We may not be the best individually, but together, we try to be the best versions of ourselves. That is what matters really – I don’t care about being the best in the industry – but I am supremely passionate about being the best version of myself. And this is what I try to help each member in the team achieve.
Thank you everyone, for your beautiful and thoughtful wishes. I may not have said it enough – but you guys mean a lot to me and I can’t wait to see the beauty that we have set out to create. All I can offer in return for your love is my promise that I will help each one of you be the best you can be, and together, we will enjoy the process of work, and in general, life as well.
Looking forward to the coming days and months:)